Hello. I’m Meguru Ito, the chairperson of the Platinum Festival Executive Committee. I would like to write about the Platinum Festival (Hakkinsai School Festival) held on Sunday, February 22nd, 2026. The content of the festival has also been featured before in Topics, so please take a look there as well.

This year, we welcomed a record high 114 visitors. We had a wonderfully diverse group of attendees, including the families of current students, local elementary and junior high school students, and alumni. It was encouraging to see the recognition of the Platinum Festival steadily growing. I hope to continue developing the event into something even more appealing so that more people can enjoy it in the coming years.

One of the biggest highlights this year was the large number of new projects introduced compared with previous years. For the first time, we held a baked sweet potato sale using Kosen Beni Haruka, as well as a game corner where visitors could try out student made games. Both projects were very well received, based on visitor surveys and student feedback, and they generated a lot of excitement. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the students who worked hard to plan these activities, and to the faculty members who supported them.
In addition, the festival’s traditional main attraction, the on-campus robot contest and the piano performances, where students showcased the results of their practice, were also very successful. On the other hand, it was unfortunate that there were no band performance this year. I hope they will return next year.

Due to the end-of-term examinations being pushed back by one week this year, the preparation period between the exams and the festival was shorter than usual. February’s extracurricular period was also packed with other activities besides the festival, and the students worked on preparations despite being extremely busy. This experience made me realize the importance of establishing a more efficient preparation process going forward.

There were also some last-minute issues, such as members of the executive committee falling ill right before the event, which kept us busy up until the start. However, we were able to bring the festival to a successful close. I hope the students on the committee will carry both the successes and the lessons learned from this experience into their student life next year.

Meguru Ito

Hello. This is Meguru Ito, the physics instructor. Today, I’d like to write about the illustration workshop held on February 16th and 18th, 2026.
At the Hakusanroku Campus, February marks the start of the extracurricular activity period. This is a time when various workshops and special extracurricular activities are planned and offered by different faculty members. These workshop and special extracurricular activities are not offered in regular classes.

This year marked the third Illustration Workshop. Following last year, we once again invited illustrator Ibuki rev to lead the sessions (Ibuki rev, thank you very much again!). The theme this time was “Let’s create a sticker pack.” Using Akane Kurihara, an original character created during the first illustration workshop two years ago, each student designed a set of stickers. 
On the first day, Ibuki rev gave a lecture on the profession of being an illustrator, as well as how to draw characters and chibi-style characters. After that, each participating student created their own illustration. On the second day, the illustrations were put together into printable data, printed out sheet of illustrations, and the cutting work began. Students left a margin around the illustrations and then carefully cut the sheets with scissors and finally packaged them into sets. Although it was a bit challenging, they produced sticker packs of impressively high quality.
We also had the chance to hear from a professional about topics such as how to work with AI and how to handle copyright. These insights from someone active in the field, were extremely interesting. The students actively participated in the workshop and asked many questions about illustration techniques and the illustrator profession.
Many of the students who participated already enjoyed drawing, so they seemed to really appreciate the process of seeing their own illustrations become actual stickers. I personally don’t draw, but seeing their eyes sparkle made me feel that organizing this workshop was truly worthwhile.

Finally, I’d like to thank Ibuki rev for the two day lecture! We are very grateful for the thoughtful, entertaining, and informative slides, as well as the kind guidance throughout. We would be delighted to welcome you again to ICT next year!

Day1

Day2

Meguru Ito

Hello. This is Domyson Abuan, one of the Learning Mentors at ICT Hakusanroku.
On March 17th, 2026, in partnership with Hakusan City, students and teachers from Hakusanroku Campus participated in a snow-walking excursion at the Nature House Chugu Onsen Ski Area. The trip was guided by our very own Philip Cadzow sensei and the ever-energetic Mr. Aikawa, who told us to call him Ai-chan from the Hakusanroku Youth Nature Hous.

We took a short bus ride, during which Ai-chan entertained us with fascinating stories about the mountain village until we arrived. Although the ski area is no longer in operation, it is still carefully maintained. A tiny clock tower greeted us at the entrance. The slopes were flat and quiet, as if resting. We were led to the cafeteria, which—despite being unused—still had neatly arranged pots and tables. There, we learned about the site and how to wear kanjiki (traditional snowshoes). Ai-chan’s lively storytelling quickly became the highlight. He shared how young couples once skied and snowboarded at night while watching fireworks. He also told a funny story about an elderly couple reminiscing about watching fireworks in their youth, only for everyone to realize that only one of them had actually been there.

Once our kanjiki were securely fastened, we were ready to begin. It was a short hike up a gentle slope. The weather was sunny, birds were chirping in the distance, and we all took in the peaceful scenery. Along the way, we found old animal tracks, and Ai-chan taught us how to identify the animals that made them. We then moved into a small forest area with a narrow stream, trekking down carefully under Philip sensei’s guidance. The students were buzzing with excitement—giggles, “oohs,” and “aahs” filling the air. Following the stream, we reached a small waterfall, where a few brave students touched the water and immediately realized how freezing it was.

After hiking back up, we returned to the main slope. This time, we faced a different direction, and the mountain view surprised us. From the top, the mountains looked like a towering painted wall, brushed in shades of gray and white. After some playful snowball fights, “snowball cannons,” and sliding around, we gathered to take a group photo—engineering-style. We attempted a human pyramid and, after a few tries, managed to get the shot.

Lunch followed: a delicious set of onigiri, miso soup, and tea. Re-energized, we moved on to the afternoon activity—snow sledding. For two nonstop hours, the slope turned into a highway of laughter. Each student held a sled, and the tour guides even built a small launching platform for those eager to try a gentle sled jump.

At the end, all the students lined up at the top, sleds in hand, and raced down the slope together. Once everyone reached the bottom, we wrapped up the day, thanked Ai-chan and the Hakusan City officials, and left with a simple reminder: in nature, we don’t need gadgets—just our senses to take in its beauty.

Domyson Abuan

Hello. My name is Kaishu Ishiharada, and I am a 2nd year student at ICT. I want to talk about our class, "Engineering Design II." In this class, we have two teams. The Agri-Business team grows "KOSEN Beniharuka" sweet potatoes to make a profit. The Tech team uses technology to protect the farm from wild animals like monkeys. I am a member of the Tech Team.

The Tech group has three teams: IoT, Drone, and Rover. We want to make a system to protect the farm. First, the IoT system watches for monkeys. Then, it sends a message to the user’s phone. After that, we use a drone to drive the animals away. If it is raining and the drone cannot fly, we use a robot called Rover.

IoT team

The IoT team makes the communication system. This year, they changed to a new message service because the old message service went out of service. They built the new system, but next year they need to test it more to see if it is useful in daily life.

Drone team

The Drone team uses drones to stop the animals. This year, they changed some parts on the drone. The old parts were difficult to program, so they put in new parts that were easier to program to better control the drone. In the future, they want the drone to fly and use its camera.

Rover team

The Rover team started last year. We use the rover when the weather is bad. This year, we improved the rover using what we learned in math and physics classes. In the second semester, we made a waterproof cover for the rain. It was a new challenge and very difficult, but we made a prototype after talking with our teachers and classmates.

I was a member of the Rover team and helped design the reduction gear. The old rover was too fast, and the vibration loosened the screws. So, I designed gears to make the motor slower. I am usually on the Robocon team and work on electronics, so mechanical design was hard for me. I had to choose the right gears and think about the velocity. It was difficult, but I learned the basics of mechanical design. I want to use this experience in my future work.

I hope the next students will continue our work and complete the system. Thank you for reading.

Kaishu Ishiharada

Hello! This is Yuri Makada from the Hakusanroku office. Today, I would like to introduce the final presentations of the 1st year Engineering Design IB course, held on Friday, January 30th, 2026.
In the 1st year Engineering Design I course, students spent the entire year working toward the goal of creating things that are useful to people. In the second semester, students were divided into six teams. Through interviews with target users and other research activities, they identified underlying problems and needs, developed devices to solve them, and presented their ideas.
The six teams chose their project topics from the following facilities: the hot spring “Hime no Yu,”, the school gym, the Maker Studio, and the laboratory.

【Maker Studio: Pika-Pika Cleaner】

This team developed the Pika-Pika Cleaner, a cleaning device for the various machines in the Maker Studio. The Maker Studio is where students work on a variety of manufacturing and robotics activities. Students who are involved in Robocon use it almost every day.
Because of the wide variety of machine shapes and mechanisms, cleaning them requires significant time and effort, which has been an issue for both faculty and students who manage the space. To solve this problem, the team created a cleaning device equipped with three tools:

Rotating Brush: A spinning brush is attached allowing fine debris to be removed even from hard to reach areas.
Long Brush: Available in two sizes to collect scattered debris efficiently.
Lubrication Unit: Dispenses and replenishes machine oil, helping maintain machine performance, longevity, and precision.

Previously, users had to switch between different tools depending on the machine part they were cleaning. With the Pika-Pika Cleaner, it is possible to use a single device to clean machine parts more efficiently.

【Laboratory: Lab Helper】

This team interviewed with the faculty member in charge of the chemistry course, who manages the laboratory. They found that students often asked the same questions repeatedly, such as how to use equipment, where items were stored, how to clean up after experiments, or what procedures to follow. This often required students to wait until the instructor was available.
To solve this issue, the team created a website that consolidates all essential laboratory information in one place. On this website, users can check safety precautions and procedures for conducting experiments, and students can also submit questions directly to the instructor. In addition, it includes a feature that allows students to record and share what they learned during experiments, enabling them to exchange knowledge with one another. Furthermore, to ensure safe operation during experiments, the tablet case is made of acrylic, allowing students to use the touchscreen even while wearing laboratory gloves.

【Gym: TEE SWEEPER】

This team interviewed Health and Physical Education instructor Philip Cadzow sensei. Through the interview, they identified several issues related to cleaning the training equipment in the gym. Users had to hold a cloth and a spray bottle separately, making the cleaning process inconvenient because both hands were occupied. In addition, the cloths did not dry quickly, which made them unhygienic.
To address these problems, the students developed a portable cleaning device that integrates the spray bottle and the wiping tool into a single unit. They designed an easy to grip handle for one handed use and attached a fast drying sponge to the wiping section. Furthermore, they created a mechanism that automatically refills the remaining spray liquid, resulting in a more efficient and hygienic cleaning tool.

【Gym: PYM】

This team interviewed Philip sensei about the issues occurring in the gymnasium. Through the interview, they discovered that although the gym was sometimes left in a messy state and could not be used by other students, it was impossible to identify who had caused the mess. Therefore, a system to track gym usage was needed.
To solve this problem, the students developed a tracking system that manages entries and exits from the gym. When a student holds their ID card over a scanner, a buzzer and LED light indicate that the scan has been completed. To make the scanning process easier, the team also used a laser cutter to create a dedicated 80cm tall stand for mounting the card reader. Furthermore, when a student scans their card, their name is automatically recorded on a website, allowing users to check who used the gym and at what time. This system made it possible to track gym usage accurately.

【Hot Spring “Hime no Yu”: Bye-Bye Stink Bugs】

This team focused on the issue of stink bugs inside the hot spring facility, based on interviews with the staff and observations of the site. Stink bugs are commonly found in mountainous areas and are attracted to warm places. Because they emit a strong and distinctive odor, they can be unpleasant for both guests and staff.
To keep the facility clean and comfortable, the students developed a device that allows stink bugs to be removed easily without having to touch them directly. The device uses fruit, which stink bugs are attracted to, as bait placed inside the container. After this, a double layered sliding lid mechanism then causes the stink bugs to fall into a water chamber below.

【Hot Spring “Hime no Yu”: 3D Facility Model】

This team learned from interviews with the hot spring staff and on-site observations that there was a need for a clear and effective way to explain how to use the hot spring facility especially for people who have never visited a hot spring before and for international guests.
The students created an easy-to-understand explanatory tool by modeling the layout of the onsen facility and presenting it visually. They also added guidance in both Japanese and English so that anyone can understand it easily. A visitor to the onsen can consult a list and if they have questions about a specific part they can press a button next to the item on the list that relates to the question. Then an LED light flashes to indicate where in the layout of facility is related to the guidance. The LED light also indicated the location of various amenities within the onsen. In addition to providing useful information about the onsen, it also allows users to understand the layout of the onsen at a glance.

In the previous semester’s team project, the students observed their daily lives and identified “the item they use every day that they find the most inconvenient.” They then devised ways to solve those personal challenges. Throughout the project, they encountered differences of opinion and various difficulties within their groups, and I think they developed the ability to collaborate while accepting and working through those challenges.
In the second semester, with newly formed teams and the experience gained from the first semester, the students were able to better understand what they could contribute and in what situations they could make the most of their strengths. They worked together in ways that allowed each student to utilize their individual abilities effectively.
I look forward to seeing how the students will continue to grow and what they will achieve in next year’s Engineering Design course.

Yuri Makada